The Cubicle Parable: 3 Quick Tips for Increased Productivity
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Corridor of Cubicles
Annie worked for a social service agency in a room full of cubicles. She was assigned the cube closest to the door. One day, Annie vented her frustrations to a co-worker, Lance. “People are constantly interrupting me during the work day,” Annie complained. “Clients come in the door, see me at my desk, and think they can walk right up and talk to me. It happens several times a day. I can’t get anything done!”
“Why don’t you try moving the wall of your cubicle?” Lance suggested. “If the opening of your cube faces away from the door, people won’t see you and assume you’re available.”
That weekend, Annie moved the cubicle wall to hide her desk from view. From then on, any client who came in to see Annie approached the receptionist first where they were advised to make an appointment. The interruptions stopped.
Frustrated by your own productivity problems? Here are three quick tips gleaned from Annie’s story:
1. Look for patterns.
Make a mental note of recurring work frustrations, or keep a time log for a week. Look for drains on your productivity that pop up again and again. Do people keep wasting your time with unnecessary phone calls? Are you always digging through your desk for the same misplaced files? Small changes to your systems could save you a bunch of time.
2. Ask for an outsider’s opinion.
Ask an insightful or more organized friend to take a look at your workspace or help you solve a problem at work. An unbiased observer may notice simple solutions that are right under your nose.
3. Don’t be afraid to establish boundaries.
People adjust to rules, guidelines, and boundaries. Shutting your office door, or putting up a few walls around your work time doesn’t necessarily make you inaccessible to others. It can definitely make you more productive